Folding camera.



A. C'. FISHER.

FOLDING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 5. law.

Patented June 11 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET W m mm m M f M? m M? A. c, HSHER. FOLDING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5,1917.

INVENTOR 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented June 11. 1918.

his ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

AUSTIN CARL FISHER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW' YORKpASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FOLDING CAMERA.

1 26S,95() Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 11, 1918, Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 140,687.

To all whom it may concern: closed when the camera is folded by the e it known that I, AUSTIN CARL FISHER, usual bed 2 hinged thereto at 3 and acting of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and also as a door. The bed when extended to State of New York, have invented certain operative position as in Fig. 1 is supported 5 new and useful Improvements in Folding by links a connecting it to the body. A 60 Cameras; and I do hereby declare the 1501- front 5 carrying the lens 6 is connected to lowing to be a full, clear, and exact dethe body 1 by a bellows 7 and the front and scription of the same, reference being had bellows fold within the body of the camera to the accompaying drawings, forming a as shown in Fig. 4, these being the general part of this specification, and to the refercharacteristics of a folding camera. 66

ence-numerals marked thereon. In the practice of my invention, the

y present invention relates to photogfront 5 is pivoted at 8 at or just above its raphy, and more particularly to photocenter between a pair of links 9 hinged at grap ic cameras of the folding type and it 10 at the front of the bed 2, the hinge behas for its object to provide a simple, ing in the nature of an elbow joint that 70 eflicient and inexpensive camera of this permits the links to fold rearwardly against nature in which the lens front will be autothe bed, as shownin Fig. 2, but to move formatically projected into its position of focus wardly only as far as the erect position of when the camera is opened. The improvevFig. 1, in which they are stopped by the ments are directed in part toward provisions engagement of their forward portions with 75 whereby the front will be held securely and the bed. The links are rigid with respect rigidly in operative position though adapted to each other, being connected by a flat cross to be readily released for the purpose of bar 11 at the bottom upon which cross bar folding the camera. To these and other one part of the hinge 10 is formed, the other ends the invention resides in certain impart of the hinge being constituted by a so provements and combinations of parts all plate 12 secured to the bed at 13 (Fig. 7). as will be hereinafter more fully described, A spring 14 coiled about the center of the the novel features being pointed out in the hinge pintle 10 has a normal tendency to claims at the end of the specification. move the links to the erect operative po- In the drawings: sition of Fig. 1. When the links are folded Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding back against the tension of this spring, the camera constructed in accordance with and front 5 is turned forwardly on its pivot, as illustrating one embodiment of my invenshown in Fig. 2, so that it will also lie flat tion, the same being in extended position; against the bed 2. When the links 9 are 35 Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the manreleased from their folded position and fly nor in which the camera is folded; upwardly and forwardly, the front 5 is Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the camera carried with them to an erect position deextended; fined by the abutment of the lower edge of Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken the front with the cross bar 11 and this 40 in a plane just inside one of its side walls said lower portion is provided in one of its with the parts in folded position; walls (the said front being hollow in the Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail present instance) with a slot 15 (Figs. sectional view showing the latch for the 5 and 6) in which operates the stem 16 of front taken substantially on the line 55 a spring latch having a button or head 17 45 0f g-1; that snaps into engagement with the cross Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substanbar 11 and locks the front and llIlkS to tially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and gether. The rear or lnner end of the stem Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional 16 has a fixed washer 18 and a spring 19 View through the supporting links for the engages the washer to operate the latch, 50 front taken substantially on the line 77 which latter is released by the operator of Fig. 3. with the fingers by moving the button or Similar reference numerals throughout head 17 upwardly, sa 1d button being at a the several views indicate the same parts. forward accessible pomt.

In the present embodiment, the camera When locked to the links in this erect op 55 comprises a body 1 the front of which is erative position, the front 5 is held rigidly against forward tilting movement on its pivot 8 by the latch 17 it is prevented from tilting forwardly with the links by the explained engagement of the latter with the bed 2 and it is prevented from rocking rearwardly on the link hinge 10 until the latch is released by'a leg 20 secured to the bottom of the front and extending downwardly into engagement with the bed 2 at a point Well in rear of the hinge center 10.

The bed 2 is also actuated to the operative position of Fig. 2 by a spring 21 (Fig. 1) at its hinge 3 when the bed is released from the usual catch 22 at the top of the camera body that holds it in the folded position of Fig. -l and in the'said folded position of the parts, the links 9 and front 5 are held in their folded position against the bed 2 by being crowded into the storage or bellows chamber of the camera body 1. The operation is therefore as follows.

As soon as the catch 22 is released, the bed '2 immediately projects itself to the operative position of Fig. 1. hen it has reached the intermediate position of Fig. 2, tl1e links 9 are no longer confined and they snap fo'rwardly to their erect position under the influence of the spring 1 f carrying the front 5 With them. The front autoi'natically locks itself to the links in the operative position of Fig. 1 by means of the latch 17 and the camera is thus instantly extended ready for use, the bellows 7 being carried out Withthe front. The lower end of the leg 20 is Ep'ref erably rounded, as shown, so that it will slide along the. bed 2 during the last described movementsand have a firm 'erigage ment with the bed in the operative position of Fig. 1. To fold the camera, the latch 17 is released; the frontb rotated forwardly and the links*9 folded backward tothe position of Fig. 2; the bed links 4. released and the bed folded up to the positionof Fig. t

carrying the parts body 1.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding camera, the combination With a body and a hinged bed closing the front thereof, of a pair of links pivoted to the bed to fold rearwardly against :the latter, a front pivoted to the links to also fold against the bed and having anoperativ'e position in rear of the pivots of the link and bed, a bellows connecting the front and body, a spring for projecting the 'bed and a spring for raising the links and front into operative position on the bed When the to the interior or the camera is opened.

2. In a folding camera, the combination with a body and a hinged bed closing the front thereof, of a pair 0 liirks pivoted to the bed to fold rearwardly against the latter, a front pivoted to the links to also fold against the bed and adapted to abut the links at another point to establish itself in an erect, operative position in rear of the pivots of the link and bed, a fixed rearward brace on the front directly engaging the bed, a-belloivs connecting the front and body, a spring for projecting the bed and a spring for raising the links and front into operative position on the bed when the camera is opened.

In a

folding camera, the combination with a body and a hinged bed closing the front thereof, of a pair of links pivoted to the bed 'to fold rearwardly against the latter, a front pivoted to said links to fold forwardly against the bed after the links have been moved rearwardly, and a fixed rearward brace on the front adapted to engage the bed in normally spaced relationship to the pivots of the extended.

links when the camera is i. In a folding camera, the combination with body and a hinged 'bed closing the front thereof, of a pa irfof links pivoted to thebed to fold rearwarcly against the latter and having a vertically disposed flat eonnecting cross bar, a front pivoted to the links to also fold against the bed and adapted 'to abut the cross bar to establish itself in an erect, operative position, a bellows'connecting the frontand body, a spring for raising the linksand front in'to operative position on the bed fwhen the camera is opened and the bed projected and a latch on the front comprising a vertically movablecani head cooperating with the edge of the crossbar on the links to lock the front to the latter.

5. a folding camera, the combination with a body and a hinged bed closing the front thereof, of a pair-of links pivoted to the bed to fold rearwardly against the latter, a frontpivoted to the links to also fold against the bed, "a spring for raising the links and front into operative position on the bed when the camera is opened and the bed projected, means "for locking the front and links together and fixed means on the front "cooperating with the bed to prevent rearward folding of the links While the front is in operative position.

AUSTIN CARL FISHER.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained 101' five ee'ntseach, by addr'e'ssin'g the "Commissioner of E'atents,

Wishingtonfl G. 

